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I have had hep c for 31 yrs now,and my Doc said I have to get the treatments,due to my liver count is 33 million.I will not get them due to the medicane I heard has a risk of u wanting to kill ur self.I just want to know can I still live or will I die if not treated.
Hi Mary, Just to add to what Bill has said above, I did the treatment and though I did get a little depressed I was given an antidepressant which helped a lot. After I finished my treatment I was able to quit taking the antidepressant.
You wrote: I just want to know can I still live or will I die if not treated.
Here's the thing about Hep C. You can have it for a long time and not feel sick, but all the while the virus is slowly doing damage to your liver. By the time you do start to feel bad, you may already have cirrhosis, and by then your liver is no longer working very well. The best way to tell the condition of your liver is by having a biopsy, as Bill has mentioned.
The progression of Hep C may lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. These have many symptoms which can be very uncomfortable and difficult for the patient. At a certain point, the only solution becomes a liver transplant, and it's not easy to get a liver when or if you need one. Taking the treatment medicines and clearing the virus will help your liver to get healthier again.
You need to follow up with your doctor and learn more about the condition of your liver. Please keep asking your questions, and come back to let us know what you find out.
Lapis
You wrote: I just want to know can I still live or will I die if not treated.
Here's the thing about Hep C. You can have it for a long time and not feel sick, but all the while the virus is slowly doing damage to your liver. By the time you do start to feel bad, you may already have cirrhosis, and by then your liver is no longer working very well. The best way to tell the condition of your liver is by having a biopsy, as Bill has mentioned.
The progression of Hep C may lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. These have many symptoms which can be very uncomfortable and difficult for the patient. At a certain point, the only solution becomes a liver transplant, and it's not easy to get a liver when or if you need one. Taking the treatment medicines and clearing the virus will help your liver to get healthier again.
You need to follow up with your doctor and learn more about the condition of your liver. Please keep asking your questions, and come back to let us know what you find out.
Lapis
Hi Mary,
Assuming you fully understood your doctor’s advice, I imagine you’ve been speaking with your primary care physician? If so, ask for a referral to a liver specialist (GI doc or hepatologist) for consultation. The need for HCV therapy isn’t predicated solely on viral load alone; in fact, that generally has very little to do with the decision. The amount of fibrosis (scarring) that has occurred to date is usually the first consideration; this is determined via liver biopsy or other means.
Yes, the drugs used to manage HCV are pretty strong, and have in some instances caused suicidal ideation. This doesn’t happen often, and mood/depression etc can often be managed effectively with meds such as antidepressents/anti-anxiolitic drugs. The vast majority of patients manage reasonably well for the prescribed course of therapy and eventually clear the disease.
A liver doc will eventually be involved regardless; might as well start now and request that referral. Good luck; let us know what you discover-
Bill
Assuming you fully understood your doctor’s advice, I imagine you’ve been speaking with your primary care physician? If so, ask for a referral to a liver specialist (GI doc or hepatologist) for consultation. The need for HCV therapy isn’t predicated solely on viral load alone; in fact, that generally has very little to do with the decision. The amount of fibrosis (scarring) that has occurred to date is usually the first consideration; this is determined via liver biopsy or other means.
Yes, the drugs used to manage HCV are pretty strong, and have in some instances caused suicidal ideation. This doesn’t happen often, and mood/depression etc can often be managed effectively with meds such as antidepressents/anti-anxiolitic drugs. The vast majority of patients manage reasonably well for the prescribed course of therapy and eventually clear the disease.
A liver doc will eventually be involved regardless; might as well start now and request that referral. Good luck; let us know what you discover-
Bill
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